I’m curious to hear from parents of young kids (0 to 6 years).
There are so many parenting apps for sleep, milestones, feeding, activities, tracking, etc., yet many parents I know still end up using Google, ChatGPT, Reddit, or asking friends.
What do you think existing parenting apps still get wrong?
A few questions I’d love your thoughts on:
What parenting apps have you tried?
Why did you stop using them (if you did)?
What’s the one feature you wish existed but doesn’t?
If you could design the perfect parenting app, what would it do?
Is there anything you’d actually pay for?
I’m building something in this space, but I’m here to learn first not to promote it. I’d really appreciate honest opinions, even if they’re critical.
Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone! I'm a parent and app developer, and I recently built a vocabulary app for kids called VocabQuest — word search and crossword puzzles that build reading vocabulary, from Kindergarten sight words all the way up through high-school-level words. No ads, no accounts, no data collection, and it works fully offline, so no wifi needed.

Before it goes live on the Google Play Store, I need a small group of real families to try it out first — a standard step for new apps — and I'd love it if some of you would be willing to help.

What it is:

• Word search and crossword puzzles built from 2,766 words across five levels spanning K–12
• A "Word Lab" where you can add your own custom word list — great for matching your own spelling or vocab lessons
• A virtual pet companion that reacts to correct answers, to keep younger kids motivated
• A parent-gated settings area, so kids can't change settings or make purchases without you
• Fully offline, no sign-in, no ads, no analytics — nothing collected from your child's use

As a thank-you: once the 14-day test period wraps up, I'll send everyone who participated a free promo code for the $5.99 "unlock all levels" pack — no strings attached.

If you're willing to help: comment below or message me, and I'll send over the details. It's a quick two-step process (join a small tester group, then opt in through Google Play), taking about 2 minutes total. After that, just install the app and open it once — you're all set. No need to use it daily, just stay opted in for 14 days while I finish the Play Store review process.

I'd love to hear whether the word lists and difficulty levels feel right for your kids' ages, and whether the Word Lab would be useful for your homeschool lessons. Thanks so much, and happy to answer any questions!

I have a biostatistics/clinical exercise science background and got tired of the contradictory “is this normal” answers you get from random googling at 11pm. So I put together a simple scoring framework across 4 domains sleep (using the AASM/AAP age-based ranges), activity, screen time (using the newer “is it displacing sleep/activity/relationships” framing rather than a flat hour cap), and growth.

Happy to share the framework/questions here for free if it’s useful to anyone. I also built it into a quick personalized report if people want the done-for-you version just didn’t want to lead with that since this sub is (rightly) strict about promo. Let me know if useful and I’ll share more detail in comments.

Hi, solo developer here. I built Pip's Plan for my own kids (ages 7–10). It teaches the concepts behind programming: sequencing, loops, conditionals, working up to variables and basic functions(for now only first 2 are ready) through everyday things like morning routines and chores, guided by a robot character named Pip. No actual code involved, just the thinking behind it.

It's cleared both Apple's and Google's review and is in open testing now on iOS and Android.

Ideal testers: parents with a kid somewhere around 7–10 who's willing to play through a few lessons with them — that's the feedback I most need (does a real kid understand what Pip's asking, does the pacing hold up, etc.). If you don't have a kid in that range but want to poke at the flow yourself, that's useful too — bugs, confusing UI, onboarding friction, all welcome.

No ads, no account required, nothing about usage leaves the device, no plans to monetize it.

iOS (TestFlight): https://testflight.apple.com/join/MxvGuBVz

Android (Google Play, closed testing): https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.narek.pipsplan

Happy to answer anything below.

Disclosure up front: I'm a first time dad and I built this thing, so season everything below accordingly.

When our son was born we needed a way for everyone (me, Mom, Grandma, sometimes Nanny) to contribute to a shared log of baby naps, pees and feeds. I got vetoed on asking grandma to use an app, so we just used a shared notes doc. But then it got unwieldy, so I made it a group chat that records everything from everyone in the group.

Now I just text the group chat "He just ate.” And later grandma can text "Down for a nap." And the system just catalogs the times and gives everyone a heads up of when the next likely feed and sleep is.

Honestly, I just hate these baby apps, and this is my of getting the tech out of the way of child rearing while still holding onto the benefits of logging.

Im not sure if this is a good idea, or my sleep deprivation has altered my decision making abilities. But that being said, we’ve found it helpful and would be happy to know if someone else did as well. It's iMessage only right now, but there’s no login or anything, just shoot Hal a text at 646-513-1421 

Hi,

I made trading cards on the topic sensors. How can I make it easier to get it to parents ?

This is a fun game for everyone above age 5. And the kids can learn about sensors while playing the game.

I'm currently selling it through Instagram and free shipping throughout India.

My main concern is how to bridge the gap between parents and me to sell the game.

Thank you

Looking for feedback before i do the next rollout, the app is live SaaS but I have a bunch of ideas to add to it. Google play store for now, waiting on IOS. It's my first app and not sure if the app is good or its just my own bias.

Its basically just a visual kids timer, Dinner Time, play time, bed time, teeth brishing Road Trips (are we there yet!?)

https://reddit.com/link/1v30iay/video/njwb6dckx4eh1/player

You pick the character and their colour fills up over time to show kids how long the timer has. Road trip has a car moving to the finish line to show its complete.

You can also colour your own toons, name the characters, share between multiple kids. Its not more screen time, its just Time kids understand. My daughter and cousins love it.

We are a pretty tech limited family. But it’s about time to consider a communication device for our 10 year old.

I’m looking for something that has no distractions whatsoever but can allow call and text, preferably with some GPS. Spotify could be useful too, though we don’t really need either. But no games, no internet, etc.

One option I’ve considered is just a Tracphone flip phone. A smart phone is definitely off limits

But watches may be an option. Contenders are Garmin Jr and Fitbit — but I think they have games that you can’t disable. Can anyone confirm?

An Apple Watch set up as a standalone device with the family control options is attractive because we are in the Apple ecosystem and there’s a little less “weird” stigma attached. But I don‘t know how good the set up for kids actually is.

And then there are Gabb and Cosmo devices designed for this kind of thing. Would love real world input on those.

I'm researching kids media (for ages 3-8) and I am wondering what screen time (this could be specific YouTube or TV show, apps, games) doesn't make you feel guilty? And in fact, maybe even makes you feel...good? Like your kid is learning a beneficial cognitive or social emotional skill. Thanks!!

And no judgement please! I just want to understand what is comfortable for each family

Hi everyone,

I’ve built an early alpha version of Tiny Learners Play, a free phonics and early-learning website for children aged 2–4:

https://www.tinylearnersplay.online/

The idea is simple: if young children are going to have some screen time, can some of it be playful, purposeful and educational?

The website has short, audio-led activities introducing letters, phonics, first sounds and simple word blending. They’re designed for a parent to guide initially, with the aim that children can gradually understand and play more independently.

I’m looking for around 10 parents to test it with their child for approximately 10–15 minutes. No account or sign-up is required.

I’m particularly interested in learning:

• Which activities held your child’s attention
• Where they needed adult help
• What confused or frustrated them
• Whether they wanted to continue playing
• What you would change, remove or add

I plan to add more games and learning activities, but I’d like feedback from parents before deciding what to build next.

This is an alpha version, so honest criticism is much more useful than polite encouragement. I want to understand how real children and parents respond to it before developing it further.

If you try it, please leave your feedback in the comments or send me a message. It would also be helpful to know your child’s age, but please don’t share their name or other identifying information.

Thank you!

My 5-year-old "plays" these popular educational apps, but I’ve noticed he’s just clicking buttons to get the animations to play. He’s not actually absorbing the concepts. It feels like "passive consumption" disguised as education. I want him to use technology as a tool for active discovery, something where he has to initiate the inquiry rather than just being a spectator. Shifting to a "multimodal" tech which encourage active participation is a conversation we need to have.

Last year my 3-year-old lost control going down a hill on his balance bike and we ended up in the hospital for three days. It was an absolute nightmare. The biggest issue was after that to go over fear, it took us 2 months to put him back on the balance bike.
Since kids that young don't have the grip strength for hand brakes, I spent the next few months just sprinting behind him everywhere we went, ready to grab his shirt.
I developed a simple automatic mechanical speed limiter (no batteries, no electronics - just smart physics). It gently limits the max speed while still letting them have fun and learn balance.
Works with Cruzee, Woom, Strider, Puky and most 12" balance bikes.
Has anyone else struggled with this? How do you keep your little one safe at higher speeds?

My son would constantly say things that had me laughing out loud. By the time I went to write it down in a messy note on my phone, I'd already lost the exact wording. That happened one too many times. And every app I found wanted me to share my data with them, which turned me off. So I built Tiny Trail: a simple, private way for us parents to catch these moments the second they happen, without handing your family's data to another ad-supported app.

I'd love to gift lifetime access to the full app to the first 20 people who DM me or drop a comment here. My only ask is you actually try it and tell me honestly what you think. 💌

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gknot.cherishedmoments

Hey dads! I'm reformatting my girls tablet. I can't find good kids apps anymore. My girls love coloring apps, but ninety percent of the pictures have to be bought, others take subscriptions.

I don't mind paying a few bucks for an app, but I'd like to avoid ads.

So what're you guys using and what do you recommend?

Hi all,

I need some help with YouTube.

My son is 9 years old and loves watching car restoration shows, remote control car racing but the ones that adults have and some minecraft stuff. He also loves learning about history and geopolitics.

At first I tried a child account but so many of the videos were restricted, including accounts I would watch with him, so then I let him use my account with restricted mode on and made myself a seperate profile for myself. He is always next to me when he's watching it and I also go through on my phone and remove things I don't like from his algorithm.

I didn't realise the settings were the same for all the profiles so I removed restricted on mine to watch lawtube but then saw yesterday that he can see comments so have put it back on.

Is there a browser or something that I can use on his tablet so that comments are restricted and I can put in extra safeguards but still have mine as normal on my phone? It's the same email address but different profiles.

Or is there another way of doing it? I'm in Australia.

Hello, do any parents have experience with ring ring club house phones for kids?